Five years ago tonight, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in overtime. Masi Marjamaki scored 2:11 into overtime* after the Sound Tigers finished killing off a Harlan Pratt penalty from the last minute of regulation.
It gave the Sound Tigers a 3-2 lead in the series, too, as the road team won each of the first five games. The Penguins made it six two nights later, then won Game 7 at home. Five years ago tonight is the last time the Sound Tigers had a lead in a playoff series.
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And then three hours after that happened, this happened. So I’ll ask, for the fifth year in a row: If you don’t buckle up, please start, would ya? Thanks.
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It really sounded as if Manitoba was done after Game 4, a 6-3 loss at home. They were down 3-1 in the series to Lake Erie; they needed to win Game 5 at home and then two games in Ohio. And they did: Alexandre Bolduc broke in midway through the third period and scored the go-ahead goal. The Moose added a power-play goal 55 seconds later and won Game 7 in Cleveland. So Mark Flood moves on; erstwhile teammate Greg Mauldin and Ben Walter do not.
The second round begins Wednesday in Portland.
*-The Penguins had their fourth line and third D-pair on for that goal: Daniel Carcillo-Kurtis McLean-Dennis Bonvie, Paul Bissonnette-Drew Fata.